Former Knicks Guard Jeremy Lin Announces Retirement

The New York Knicks and basketball world as a whole are finally fully cured of "Linsanity."

Fleeting Knicks legend Jeremy Lin announced his retirement from professional basketball via an Instagram video commemorating his lasting career. Lin is best-known for his epic breakout with the Knicks during the 2011-12 season, giving rise to the cultural phenomenon known as "Linsanity."

Lin's most recent NBA action came with the Toronto Raptors in 2019, partaking in their first championship run. In addition to the Knicks, Lin suited up for the Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, Charlotte Hornets, Brooklyn Nets and Atlanta Hawks. More recently, he had taken his game overseas and embarked on a successful professional career in China.

"As athletes, we are always aware that the possibility of retirement is never far away,"
Lin said in his accompanying caption. "I’ve spent my 15 year career knowing that one day I would have to walk away, and yet actually saying goodbye to basketball today has been the hardest decision I’ve ever made."

"It's been the honor of a lifetime to compete against the fiercest competitors under the brightest lights and to challenge what the world thought was possible for someone who looks like me. I've lived out my wildest childhood dreams to play in front of fans all around the world. I will forever be the kid who felt fully alive everytime I touched a basketball."

Lin, who turned 37 last week, originally joined the Knicks off waivers in late December 2011. After playing sparingly at the start, Lin burst onto the scene with a 25-point performance against the rival New Jersey Nets, led by All-Star backcourt man Deron Williams and later rose to the occasion amidst a New York winning streak that eventually propelled them to the playoffs.